Liveaboard Cruises and Scuba Diving Tours

Frequently Asked Questions

• General FAQs

What is a liveaboard cruise?

Liveaboards provide scuba facilities and living accommodations for divers. The boat becomes your home and you eat, sleep and dive on it! Liveaboards stay at sea for the duration of the tour and therefore can explore more remote sites. This type of diving opens up a whole new world of top class scuba holidays that would simply not be available on regular day trip boats.

How many dives will I make per day?

Generally you can make four dives a day. A typical cruise day starts at 07:00 hrs with the first dive, and the last being either a sunset or night dive. You have about three hours between dives, at your leisure.

When is the best time of the year for diving?

Each of our liveaboard destinations has its own climatic and sea conditions. Visit our dive destinations section for the holiday location you are interested in. Then review the detailed dive site descriptions for information on the diving seasons for each site. Our tourist information section will give you all you need to know on the weather patterns for each of our tours.

What diving license do I need?

A PADI Open Water Diver license is acceptable on liveaboards provided you have an intermediate level of diving experience. Similar licenses from any other internationally recognised scuba association are also acceptable on cruises. Although there are some deep and exposed sites, there are enough easy sites and enough divemasters on board so that you will never need to dive beyond your limits.

To make the most of your scuba diving tour and to extend your training you may wish to take your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver license on board. Certification is normally discounted to about half price. See the "Facilities and Food" information tab of each boat for course prices on board.

How far in advance do I need to book?

You don't want to run the risk of a liveaboard dive holiday departure being fully booked so, as there is only a limited number of beds available, you must try to book several months in advance.

I don't have my license with me, can I still dive?

If you have a PADI scuba certification, we can check your details direct with PADI. Please provide your name as it appears on your card and your date of birth. If you contact the diving centre where you were certified, they can help you obtain a new card before your dive tour begins.

Do I need a wetsuit?

We always recommend at least a 3mm full length wetsuit, because making four dives a day, you will get chilled. It's best to review our dive site descriptions "Reef Basics" section for details on water temperatures at the destinations you are visiting.

Can I recharge my strobes and batteries?

Usually this is not a problem on board liveaboard charters. Please review the boats' "Specs and Safety" tab for details of the power sources provided on each of the tours.

What type of scuba tanks and valves are on the boats?

Please see the "Specs and Safety" tab of each boat for more details as specifics vary between different cruises.

Can I rent an underwater camera?

Some liveaboards have cameras available for rent. See the "Facilities and Food" tab of each boat for more details. Please request these in advance to ensure availability.

Can I request vegetarian food?

Please review the "Facilities and Food" tab for details of different dietary requirements that can be met on each liveaboard tour. Please tell us your requirements at the time when you book your holidays with us, so that we can meet your request.

Where can you pick me up from?

We'll send you transfer details during the booking process so that you'll know where you need to get to well in advance of your cruise.

What should I bring on board?

All your personal diving equipment (except tanks, weights and weight belts), a bathing suit, towel, toiletries, T-shirts, shorts, and sun cream. You may also want to bring something a little warmer for the evenings.

Is dive insurance for customers included in the cruise price?

Some scuba charters provide insurance, others insist that you have your own. For details please review the "Specs and Safety" tab for each boat. In any case, recommend you have your own personal diving insurance for your own peace of mind.

Can a non-diver go on a liveaboard holiday?

Non-divers and snorkellers are welcome on all liveaboards. Do bear in mind though that the cruises are designed as diving tours, not snorkelling. Prices for non-divers are usually discounted 10%, sometimes more, but please ask for exact details.

Must I share a cabin?

Space is the ultimate premium on liveaboards and single cabins are extremely rare and expensive. Unless we manage to book you a single cabin, you will be expected to share. It may be, if the cruise is not fully booked and there are an odd number of passengers, that you can have your own cabin, but this situation can not be guaranteed. The only way to guarantee a cabin for yourself is to pay for two beds! Please review the "Liveaboard Diving" tab of each boat for more details on the types of cabin available.

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